Up for sale, a 1961 Fender Stratocaster in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case, hangtag and Ace-branded strap. This golden age Fender features a slab Brazilian rosewood fretboard on the figured flame maple neck, and the alder body has one of Fender's richer, darker "target burst" finishes, where the black and red of the three-tone finish extend further towards the center of the body.

Unlike the very slender neck carves seen from 1959 and into '61 on many slab board Strats, this particular neck has a medium depth C-shaped carve, fuller feeling than the micrometer measurements might infer (.835" at the 1st fret, .980" at the 12th), offering a hearty handful with round shoulders and rolled fretboard edges.

The alder body yields an extremely lively natural acoustic tone with a crisp, balanced quality and an underlying sonic breadth. Via the three-way selector switch, each pickup has a vital, distinct voice. The bridge pickup is all sparkle and spank, sweet and rounded off in the high trebles, while the middle pickup has a dry-yet-full quality, and the neck pickup is bold and silky. And cheating the “in-between” switch positions delivers two different flavors of bell-like chime. Weighing 7lbs 12oz, this Stratocaster benefits from a professionally setup here at Mike & MIke’s Guitar bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Wood: Maple
• Shape: Medium C, more heft in upper registers, measuring .835” 1st fret, .980” 12th fret
• Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood slab, 7 1/4” radius, clay dot inlay
• Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, no wear
• Scale Length: 25 1/2”
• Nut: 1.670” (original)
• Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
• Serialization: Five-digit stamped on neck plate
• Factory Markings: Neck heel pencil dated 11/61, fully painted neck pocket

Body Specs:

• Wood: Alder
• Pickups: Single coil x3 (neck/middle rewound, original windings bridge), Bridge: 5.78k ohms, Middle: 5.9k ohms, Neck: 5.65k ohms
• Harness: Stackpole pots date to 43rd week of '61
• Controls: Volume/Tone/Tone, Three-way pickup selector
• Hardware: Synchronized Tremolo, jack cup
• Plastics: Three-ply mint green pickguard, cream knobs/pickup covers
• Factory Markings: 11/61 grease pencil date (tremolo cavity)

All hardware and plastics are original, and the mint green nitrate pickguard is an excellent example, with one small split in the usual spot at the neck pickup mounting screw. The three-tone Sunburst gloss is particularly bold and unfaded, 100% original save for a small area of touch-up on the back of the bass-side cutaway. There is no finish in the factory nail holes for mounting the body during the finish process, and there is a very subtle deepening of the neck pickup cavity (neck pickup was re-leaded when rewound).

There is buckle rash between the neck plate and tremolo cavity cover, with additional light buckle worming across the back, and some wear through to the bare alder along the treble-side back body edge, with more restrained wear on the bass side of the body and various small dings, scuffs and finish chips from careful use as shown. There is limited checking on the finish, with subtle vertical (lower bout) and horizontal (bass-side horn) lacquer checking on the body. The ambered nitro gloss on the neck profile is extremely smooth and clean, highlighting broad flame figuring on the profile length. The neck carve is free of palm wear, with only a couple tiny finish chips on the bass side of the carve behind fret 8. The original Fender waterslide decal on the headstock is also practically perfect.

The original brown tolex hardshell case with gold interior is included and exceedingly clean with well-kept brown leather ends, functional latches and the original handle. An original hangtag/manual is included along with a vintage white Ace-branded strap.